India vs Bangladesh, Cricket World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli Sniffs At Sachin Tendulkar's Record As India Beat Bangladesh By 7 Wickets

The legend of Virat Kohli continued to grow exponentially as he reached within handshaking distance of Sachin Tendulkar's world record of 49 hundreds during India's walk-in-the-park seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a World Cup game in Pune on Thursday. Kohli, who plans 50-over chases with a precision of a surgeon, remained unbeaten on 103 off 97 balls as India knocked off the 258-run target with as many as 51 balls remaining. India have now make it four wins out of four games and one more win would virtually put them in semi-finals.

While Kohli hit six fours and four sixes, it was his exemplary running between the wickets in pursuit of his 48th hundred that would be etched in the memory for the longest time.

But credit should also go to Ravindra Jadeja (2/38 in 10 overs) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/41 in 10 overs), who were exemplary covering all bases in absence of Hardik Pandya, who hobbled off the field after twisting his left ankle.

" Sorry for stealing it (the player of the Match award) from Jaddu. I wanted to make a big contribution. Have made fifties in World Cups, wanted to finish it off this time," Kohli said after the match.

While skipper Rohit Sharma (48 off 40 balls) and Shubman Gill (53 off 55 balls) added 88 in just 12.4 overs to set up the chase, it was a cakewalk for Kohli at a venue, with which he shares an intimate relation.

If Rohit rattled the Bangladeshis with an all-out attack, Kohli bled them with thousand cuts, running those twos in the 90s with effortless ease, another testimony to his fitness.

Earlier, as has been the case with each of India's opponents in the World Cup so far, scoring runs against arguably the best bowling attack in the competition proved a big ask for Bangladesh too, who